Soundtrack Music – ruminations, reviews and interviews

A reboot of the fabulously silly 1984 comedy Ghostbusters was way due for a comb over but 32 years is a little overdue. But here it is in all it’s daftness this time with a female team of intrepid paranormal busters starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon and Patty Tolan. A nice touch is that three of the cast from the original movie also make an appearance: Bill Murray, Dan Aykcroyd and Sigourney Weaver.

Elmer Bernstein composed the first GB’s and this time it’s the job of American composer Theodore Shapiro who is also in the cast list as ‘pianist’. Shapiro has a bundle of scores to his name covering TV, documentary and movies. My favourites being Spy, Trumbo and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty which won him Best Original Score for a Comedy award in 2013 from The International Film Music Critics Association.

After a ghost invasion in Manhattan, the GB’s do their stuff to stop any further dirsuption. The Aldridge Mansion is a wonderful mix of creepyness, not so much to scare but to paint a picture of spirits rising. This being done with nifty strings and eerie brass. Cymbals shimmer at the start of The Garrett Attack which then bursts with full orchestra and chorus, it’s so short that’s it’s all over in 1 minute 30 seconds which leaves you wanting more. The choir, having calmed down a little does return in Distinct Human Form which also sneakily contains a few bars from the original film score which can only make you smile.

Subway Ghost Attack is loud and mighty but still retains a fun element whilst I can’t help loving the 2 flat, low piano notes which signal a ‘jump out of your skin’ cacophony in the cue Mannequins. There is no such signals in Dr Heiss and I think I am slightly deaf as a result of sudden whoosh of orchestra and chorus! Battle of Times Square has a terrific loud spurt of the theme tune we all love and know again from the original film. I love that re-boot movie scores have such reverence towards the musical source material. The choir go for it big time in Behemoth and Into The Portal brings the proceedings to a satisfactory conclusion with NY Heart GB being the calming end cue.

There was a small thread of a 3 note motif running through the first few tracks but then it disappeared as the frenzy took over.There are not too many surprises here but Shapiro gets a good balance between humour and horror, it’s a fun and accomplished score.